Is The McDonald’s All-American Game A Big Deal? Yep!

(1-11-17) This week nominations for the Annual McDonald’s All-American Games were announced. Names of players from all across the nation were released. It’s also a time for those who follow high school basketball start the discussion of why certain players are not on the list. There is a process that starts on September 1st of every year to find the next group of All-Americans.

The McDonald’s All American High School Basketball Games feature the top 24 boy and 24 girl players from high schools throughout the United States and sets itself apart from other comparable events in that players are selected based on a systematic voting process. The Selection Committee, led by committee chair Morgan Wootten, is composed of basketball experts from across the country that review prospect’s fundamental talents and athleticism in the committee’s effort to identify to the top 48. The following elements are taken into serious consideration when selecting a McDonald’s All American.

Athletic Achievement

Player’s accomplishments on the hardwood.

High school career: All evaluations and nominations are based on the individual player’s fundamental skill level and athleticism.

Player’s Accolades

Scholastic Achievement

All nominees must be eligible to participate under the rules of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) or other comparable organization.

A nominee is eligible to be a McDonald’s All American if he or she is deemed eligible to participate under their high school and governing league policies.

Each nominee must be a high school senior.

Nominees cannot have repeated a grade once they have entered the 9th grade.

Nominees cannot have their 19th birthday before September 1st of senior year.

Each nominee may only have participated in eight semesters of high school athletics.

Player must be academically eligible to participate with their high school team based on their school and league requirements.

Behavior

Players who have been convicted of a felony are not permitted.

Players who have been charged with a felony with a case pending are not permitted.

Players who have a history of “getting in trouble” with either the law (i.e. misdemeanor), at school, during extracurricular activities, and/or at home may be excluded pending feedback from their principal, athletic director, coach, league officials, and/or community leaders.

Selection takes place through a balloting system vote that is submitted by a collective group of prominent basketball community members.

Votes are confidential.

Committee members are instructed not to discuss any of the balloting results or nominees outside of the internal committee.

At no time, should any Committee member solicit information or opinions pertaining to any nominee’s athletic talent or basketball career.

Each member submits his or her individual votes via a confidential and closed balloting system. The results are tabulated from all voters and the top 24 vote getters compromise the McDonalds All American Teams.

Just by looking at the above list of names on the all-time list for scoring, rebounding, steals and assists and you can see it is a very impressive group of super stars.

To play in this game or even be nominated for the game is a big honor. The players start to receive national attention as soon as the nominations are released. Now that high school sports, like basketball and football, are gaining more and more national attention it’s a great venue for these players to perform on. Media coverage includes ESPN, from the first practice until the after the game, plus numerous national media sites make it a point to cover the games.

This year’s game will once again be played at the United Center in Chicago.